Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gutter cleaners, more particularly, to a vacuum attachment for cleaning building gutters while the user remains on the ground.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gutters around the roofs of building become obstructed with leaves and other debris, eventually clogged to the point where they no longer function properly. Consequently, it is good practice to occasionally clean the gutters of debris. The most common method for cleaning gutters is to either reach the gutter from the roof or from a ladder and manually remove the debris. The danger involved is obvious.
A number of devices have been conceived for cleaning gutters while remaining in relative safety on the ground. Some operate by blowing the debris from the gutter, but some of the debris is blown onto the roof, where the next rain will most likely wash it back into the gutter. Other devices operate on vacuum, suctioning the debris from the gutter. U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,098, issued to Davis, discloses one such device. A U-shaped nozzle at the end of a flexible hose is carried on an adjustable-length pole. The problem with the device of Davis is that it is awkward to manipulate and control, particularly when the gutter is relatively high. U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,782, issued to Hall, discloses a similar device with a flexible hose controlled by an adjustable-length pole, and has the same manipulation and control problems as Davis.
The control problems are somewhat ameliorated by the rigid pipes of U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,187, issued to Higgins, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,209, issued to Watkins. Both patents disclose rigid pipes that are adjusted in length by connecting the appropriate number of rigid sections together. Consequently, adjustability of the pipe length is constrained to discrete steps of the available lengths of pipe sections.
The prior art gutter cleaners disclose a suction nozzle that must be pivoted back and forth to reach all areas of the gutter. This pivoting motion can be awkward, particularly with those cleaners that are controlled by a pole. Additionally, the ingress of the prior art nozzles is round, which may be the easiest to manufacture, but may not be the most efficient shape for cleaning gutters. The gutter cleaner of Higgins discloses the ability to fit attachments to the nozzle, but there is no discussion of the most efficient shape for cleaning gutters.
An object of the present invention is to provide a gutter cleaner that has a rigid pipe with a length that is infinitely adjustable for comfort and control during use.
Another object is to provide a gutter cleaner with a head that is curved to more easily reach all areas of the gutter.
Yet another object is to provide a gutter cleaner with a nozzle designed to more efficiently suction debris from gutters.
A further object is to provide a gutter cleaner that attaches to readily available wet/dry vacuum cleaners.
Briefly, the gutter cleaner of the present invention includes a head and a handle. The head is tubular and has a bend and a nozzle. The bend curves in two orthogonal planes, through an angle of 135xc2x0 to 195xc2x0 in one plane and through an angle of 15xc2x0 to 60xc2x0 in the other plane. The nozzle has an egress with one dimension being narrower than the other. The head and handle slidably fitting together and are secured to fix their relative positions. The lower end of the handle is adapted to attach to a vacuum source.
The gutter cleaner of the present invention is an adjustable-length hollow tube with a specially-designed suction head. The gutter cleaner connects to a vacuum cleaner for suctioning debris from gutters and other similar articles. The gutter cleaner has a head and a handle that reciprocate relative to each other. Optionally, the handle includes a grip and an extension that reciprocate relative to each other. The head has a bend that curves in two orthogonal planes, unlike the gutter cleaners of the prior art that curve in only one plane. In one plane, the bend extends through a fixed angle of from 135xc2x0 to 195xc2x0 and, in the other plane, the bend extends through a fixed angle of from 15xc2x0 to 60xc2x0. The advantage to the two-plane bend is that reaching into crevices, corners, under the spacing brackets is easier.
The nozzle ingress has an oval shape. The ingress is significantly narrower in the same dimension as the large bend plane than it is the orthogonal dimension. An oval ingress allows the nozzle to more easily reach into narrow gutters and crevices, has less chance of getting snagged.
The head slides within the handle and can be secured to fix the length of the gutter cleaner. Optionally, the handle has an extension section that slide within a grip section, and that can be secured to fix the length of the gutter cleaner.
The outer surface of the handle is textured to provide a non-slip grasping surface The outer surface also has a series of eyelets for anchoring a strap that can fit over the user""s shoulder to support the weight of the gutter cleaner. The lower end of the handle has an attachment for a vacuum source, typically a wet/dry vacuum cleaner.
Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the following drawings and detailed description of the invention.